{"id":4393,"date":"2013-01-03T08:00:15","date_gmt":"2013-01-03T08:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=4393"},"modified":"2018-08-16T20:58:04","modified_gmt":"2018-08-16T20:58:04","slug":"happy-new-year-of-the-black-snake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/happy-new-year-of-the-black-snake\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy New Year of the Black Snake!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><em style=\"color: #555555\">Image Source:\u00a0<a style=\"color: #2882c1\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/78428166@N00\/3995918199\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tobyotter<\/a>\u00a0via Flickr!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Happy New Year! <strong>\u0421 \u041d<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u043c \u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043e\u043c<\/strong>! Have you had a chance to try a real <strong>\u0441\u0430\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442 \u041e\u043b\u0438\u0432\u044c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span><\/strong> (<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/50-ways-love-olivye-new-year-2013\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Olivier salad<\/a>) this year? To be honest, I wasn\u2019t going to make it this year. I mean, after so many New Years in a row featuring this dish, this salad simply <strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (became boring). But after following Rob\u2019s link to <strong>\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0440\u0435\u0446<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (New Year recipes) at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.say7.info\/cook\/page\/5-Novogodnie.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Say7.info<\/a>, I felt compelled to make it after all.<\/p>\n<p>By the way, thanks to your comments on Rob\u2019s New Year post, I found out that this year is <strong>\u0433\u043e\u0434 \u0417\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span><\/strong> (year of the Snake). Living in the US, I tend to forget these things. But in Russia, everyone seems to know <strong>\u0441\u0432\u043e\u0439 \u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a \u0417\u043e\u0434\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (one\u2019s own Zodiac sign). Otherwise, how would you know whether in this year of the Snake you should<\/p>\n<p>A- keep your eyes open for<strong> \u043c\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0449<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0435 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (promising opportunities),<br \/>\nB- <strong>\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0432\u043a\u0443\u0448<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0432\u0435\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0434\u0435\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (look forward to great undertakings) or<br \/>\nC- dial down your <strong>\u044d\u043a\u0441\u0446\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (eccentricity).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Hint:<\/strong> A is for <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u041e<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u043d<\/strong> (Aries), B is for <strong>\u041b\u0435\u0432<\/strong> (Leo) and C is for <strong>\u0420<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u044b<\/strong> (Pisces).<\/p>\n<p>Here are all the Zodiac signs in Russian with English translation<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u041e<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u043d<\/strong> &#8211; Aries<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0422\u0435\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0446<\/strong> &#8211; Taurus<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0411\u043b\u0438\u0437\u043d\u0435\u0446<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span><\/strong> &#8211; Gemini<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0420\u0430\u043a<\/strong> &#8211; Cancer<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041b\u0435\u0432<\/strong> &#8211; Leo<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0414<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0430<\/strong> &#8211; Virgo<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0412\u0435\u0441<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span><\/strong> &#8211; Libra<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0421\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043f\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d<\/strong> &#8211; Scorpio<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0421\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0446<\/strong> &#8211; Saggitarius<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041a\u043e\u0437\u0435\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> &#8211; Capricorn<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0412\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0439<\/strong> &#8211; Aquarius<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0420<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u044b<\/strong> &#8211; Pisces<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition to knowing one\u2019s <strong>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a \u0417\u043e\u0434\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/strong>, many Russians know their<strong> \u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a \u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u0430<\/strong> (Eastern or Chinese Zodiac sign). The terms <strong>\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f<\/strong> (horoscope) and <strong>\u0417\u043e\u0434\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (Zodiac) are used interchangeably by most people. So when you go out on a date, you can ask both <strong>\u041a\u0442\u043e \u0442\u044b \u043f\u043e \u0437\u043e\u0434\u0438<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0443<\/strong> and <strong>\u041a\u0442\u043e \u0442\u044b \u043f\u043e \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u0443<\/strong> to ensure compatibility, develop dating strategy and predict future of the relationship. Both phrases mean \u201cWhat is your Zodiac sign\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8211; \u041a\u0442\u043e \u0442\u044b \u043f\u043e \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u0443?<\/strong> (What is your horoscope sign?)<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; \u042f &#8211; \u0414<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0430, \u0430 \u0442\u044b?<\/strong> (I am a Virgo, how about you?)<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; \u0410 \u044f &#8211; \u0420\u0430\u043a, \u0430 \u043f\u043e \u0433<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0443 \u044f &#8211; \u041f\u0435\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0445. \u0410 \u0442\u044b?<\/strong> (I am a Cancer, but I am a Rooster by my birth year. And you?)<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; \u0410 \u044f &#8211; \u0417\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>.<\/strong> (I am a Snake)<\/p>\n<p>If, by chance, those are your and your date\u2019s signs, rejoice, for you are ideally compatible for both <strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c<\/strong> (love) and <strong>\u0431\u0440\u0430\u043a<\/strong> (marriage). If these are not your signs, search for a phrase <em><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> [Zodiac sign] <strong>\u0438<\/strong> [Zodiac sign]<\/em> as in<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c \u041b\u044c\u0432\u0430 \u0438 \u0412\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u044f<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>\u0441\u043e\u0432\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0441\u044c \u0422<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0440\u0430 \u0438 \u041b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u0434\u0438<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To search for <strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e \u0433\u043e\u0434 \u0433\u0440\u044f\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0430\u043c \u0433\u043e\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0442<\/strong> (what the coming year has in store for you), type in <em><strong>\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043f 2013 [Chinese Zodiac sign]<\/strong><\/em> as in<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u043a\u043e\u043f 2013 \u0411\u044b\u043a<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To help you with your research, here are the Russian words for the signs of the Chinese Zodiac and their translations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u041a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0430 \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u041c\u044b\u0448\u044c<\/strong> &#8211; Rat or Mouse<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0411\u044b\u043a &#8211;<\/strong> Ox<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0422\u0438\u0433\u0440<\/strong> &#8211; Tiger<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041a\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u043a<\/strong> &#8211; Rabbit<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0414\u0440\u0430\u043a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043d<\/strong> &#8211; Dragon<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0417\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span><\/strong> &#8211; Snake<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u0434\u044c<\/strong> &#8211; Horse<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041e\u0432\u0446<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span><\/strong> &#8211; Goat<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041e\u0431\u0435\u0437\u044c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> &#8211; Monkey<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u041f\u0435\u0442<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> &#8211; Rooster<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0421\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/strong> &#8211; Dog<\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0421\u0432\u0438\u043d\u044c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span><\/strong> &#8211; Pig<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Whether your horoscope for this year will be <strong>\u043d\u0435 \u0432 \u0431\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044c, \u0430 \u0432 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437<\/strong> (hit the nail on the head; lit: not on the eyebrow, but in the eye) or <strong>\u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0432\u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440<\/strong> (baloney), only time will tell.<\/p>\n<p>Since this is the year of the Black Snake, it won\u2019t do not to learn a few snake-related Russian phrases. Most of them are not complementary to this animal which in Russia is viewed as evil (just look at the Russia&#8217;s coat of arms keeping in mind that a snake is the dragon&#8217;s nearest relative). Notable exceptions include<strong> \u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0440\u044b\u0439 \u041a<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0430<\/strong> (wise Kaa) from Mowgli and <strong>\u0433\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0437\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (the little blue snake) in a story by Russian writer Bazhov.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JnDo8cLADPg\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JnDo8cLADPg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In general, comparing someone to <strong>\u0437\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span><\/strong> does not bode well for them as it describes a deceitful, sneaky, crafty person. Even worse is when someone is called <strong>\u0437\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043a\u043e\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (a snake in the grass; lit: a snake under a stack of logs). Sometimes, when we are deceived or wronged by someone we helped or supported, we feel as if we\u00a0<strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0437\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044e<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u0433\u0440\u0443\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span><\/strong> (nurture a snake in one\u2019s bosom). This is exactly the same as <strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0437\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044e<\/span> \u0437\u0430 \u043f<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0443\u0445\u043e\u0439<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These sayings imply that the snake you so blindly trusted and nurtured was <strong>\u044f\u0434\u043e\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (a venomous one). Interestingly, the most common <strong>\u043d\u0435\u044f\u0434\u043e\u0432<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (non-venomous) snake in Russia is <strong>\u0443\u0436<\/strong> known in English as grass snake or&#8230; water snake. Even children know that<strong> \u0443\u0436 &#8211; \u0431\u0435\u0437\u043e\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0437\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span><\/strong> (a grass snake is harmless), so harmless, in fact, that there is a saying <strong>\u043d\u0430 \u0442\u0440\u0443\u0441\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0438 \u0443\u0436 &#8211; \u0437\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span><\/strong> (it doesn\u2019t take much to scare a coward or for a coward even a grass snake looks like a viper).<\/p>\n<p>The modest and harmless grass snake makes another appearance in a phrase <strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a \u0443\u0436 \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span><\/strong> (like a grass snake on a hot skillet) which describes someone trying to wiggle out of a just punishment.<\/p>\n<p>I already mentioned <strong>\u0413\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0437\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (the little blue snake) who is a fairy tale creature. You won\u2019t hear it mentioned much outside of the Bazhov\u2019s story by the same name. However, you might hear about <strong>\u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0437\u043c\u0435\u0439<\/strong> (green snake) a lot. Or you might also see it as <strong>\u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0437\u043c\u0438\u0439<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aPzr5duugz4\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aPzr5duugz4<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u0412\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0447<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0433\u043e\u0434 \u0427\u0451\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0417\u043c\u0435<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0438<\/span>, \u0433\u043b<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e\u0435 &#8211; \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c \u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0437\u043c<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u044f.<\/strong> (As you are greeting the year of the Black Snake, it\u2019s important not to meet the green snake).<\/p>\n<p>Which sounds cryptic, unless you know that Russians refer to alcohol as <strong>\u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0437\u043c\u0435\u0439<\/strong> especially if it\u2019s drunk in quantities that make one see <strong>\u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0447\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (green devils), in other words to develop <strong>\u0431<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u044f \u0433\u043e\u0440<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">\u044f<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (delirium tremens).<\/p>\n<p>If you feel particularly curious as to why alcohol is referred to as a GREEN snake (vodka is white, after all), try researching it and post your ideas in the comments. Hint &#8211; it has nothing to do with the color GREEN.<\/p>\n<p>So post your guesses, questions or any other Russian phrases with snakes in them that you know of in the comments. And Happy New Year!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image Source:\u00a0Tobyotter\u00a0via Flickr! Happy New Year! \u0421 \u041d\u043e\u0432\u044b\u043c \u0433\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043c! Have you had a chance to try a real \u0441\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0442 \u041e\u043b\u0438\u0432\u044c\u0435 (Olivier salad) this year? To be honest, I wasn\u2019t going to make it this year. I mean, after so many New Years in a row featuring this dish, this salad simply \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0435\u043b\u0441\u044f (became boring). But&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"post-item__readmore\"><a class=\"btn btn--md\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/happy-new-year-of-the-black-snake\/\">Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4393","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4393"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4393\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11239,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4393\/revisions\/11239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}